Hey, I got this one done a lot sooner than the rest, so that's a good thing at least...
Here's Day two of the Twelve days.
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers... if I did, Merrick and Alyssa would've gotten together for sure!-
Alyssa walked straight into the Pet store as soon as it opened the next day and headed straight for the section Danny had told her about yesterday.
She grabbed a pair… but ran right into Merrick.
They both jumped in surprise when they saw each other and Alyssa had to quickly had the mittens behind her back before he could see them.
"Hey." She smiled lightly, "What are you doing here?"
"Getting some pup food for…. Nothing." He shook his head, "What are you doing here?"
"Uh… just…" Alyssa couldn't think of a lie until she heard a puppy's high-pitched barking.
They looked over at some cages and saw a puppy and kitten messing with each other.
Alyssa smiled lightly at them before she got an idea.
She quickly rushed over to the checkout and bought the mittens before going back over to where the kitten and pup were still playing.
"You can adopt it." She noted.
Merrick raised a brow, "Which one?"
"The pup? You are getting dog food." Alyssa figured.
"They're a pair."
Both Merrick and Alyssa looked up at the new voice and saw a worker coming over.
"You can't get one without the other." She went on.
Alyssa frowned before she sighed, "Until the end of the holidays, I think I can take care of the kitten, then my mom can…."
"Willie can take care of the pup till we're done…" Merrick nodded, "Alright… how much?"
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After Alyssa brought the kitten she'd named 'Dos' to the Animarium to meet the others, she packaged her gift and left it on the doorstep of the Roadhouse before she knocked and hid up in a tree.
Hopefully, Merrick was there.
Merrick frowned after he heard the door being knocked on and threw the dog toy he'd bought for the pup he'd named 'Deeg' over to him so the Lunar Ranger could open the door and look outside.
Outside was a bag with a large Silver 2 on it.
Once again, he looked for the giver but saw none, so he picked it up and brought it inside.
"What might this be, Deeg?" He asked the pup before he sat it down.
As Merrick opened the bag, he saw a pair of mittens in the actual shape of Turtle Doves.
He pulled them out, chuckling lightly. "Cute…"
Deeg barked as he went into the bag, then popped his head up with a letter.
Merrick picked it up and saw, To: Merrick Baliton on it.
The Lunar Ranger opened the letter and, sure enough, it was the same handwriting from yesterday.
Dear Merrick, the second day for you is here. Two Turtle Doves.
I hope it's something you'll love.
For you are a cut above the rest.
In the spirit of Christmas.
Sorry, I'll stop rhyming now.
Signed, A Special Friend.
"Who do you think it is, Deeg?" Merrick let him look at the letter.
Deeg sniffed it, then went back to playing in the bag.
Merrick chuckled lightly as he watched.
"Yeah… I don't know either…" He sighed, sitting down next to the back, "And there's still ten days to go."
The door opened, revealing Alyssa as she stepped inside with her kitten.
"Dos, here's Merrick." She gently handed him the kitten.
He smiled lightly as the kitten pawed at his face, "She's really cute…"
Deeg barked as he pushed the bag down to get his new owner's attention.
Dos hopped onto the table and the two started playing like they had in their kennel.
"They're really cute together." Alyssa noted.
"Yeah… which is weird because they're cat and dog." Merrick reasoned.
"You and I and Cole get along." Alyssa pointed out, "Cole and I protect the Lion and Tiger WildZords."
"And I protect the Wolf, Alligator, and Hammerhead… kinda cancels those out…. that's the saying right?"
"Pretty much." Alyssa nodded, sitting beside him before she then noticed her gift on the table and played dumb, "What's this?"
"Oh… just day two of twelve gifts." Merrick sighed, clearly bored, "Just opened it, actually."
She gently picked them up, then looked up at them, "Do you like it?"
He shook his head, "They're cute… I wouldn't say I like them till I try them out… it's supposed to snow tomorrow, right?"
Alyssa nodded, "Yeah… I love snow… it's so fun to play in."
Merrick got up, grunting softly, as he spoke next, "It's cold and wet."
"But it's still fun." Alyssa reasoned, "I saw you yesterday… you enjoyed it."
Merrick sighed before he walked into the kitchen.
He did enjoy it… but he wasn't about to tell Alyssa that.
As he made her the hot chocolate he'd been doing the last couple of days, he actually smiled as he heard Alyssa start humming a song.
"Well, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go… Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."
Merrick smiled to himself as he walked back out with the cup and handed it to her.
"You're a good singer." He noted kindly.
"Thank you… twice over." She smiled.
Merrick sat down beside her as Dos and Deeg got back up to their owners and pawed for attention.
Alyssa giggled before she picked up the kitten and looked over at Merrick, "If you want, we can go caroling later."
Merrick frowned, then shook his head, "Not tonight… maybe some other time?"
"…Oh…" Alyssa's joy fell, "Okay…"
As she walked out, she heard Deeg coming up to her, barking at Dos, as if to say by.
Alyssa giggled at the sight before she continued on out.
"Hopefully by Christmas…" She mentally sighed.
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Merrick was inwardly hitting himself as he tried to sleep that night.
He looked at the clock, then sighed as he got up.
He grabbed his new mittens and walked outside, leaving his Lunar Jacket till Deeg barked at him.
The Lunar Ranger turned a bit before he quickly grabbed his jacket and rubbed Deeg's head lightly.
"Good boy." He whispered before he continued on out.
As he did, he saw a bunch of people still caroling, but also shivering.
Walking up to them, he noticed how close they were huddled together, clearly tired.
Merrick then looked up at the sky, then pulled off his Lunar Caller and quickly dialed a familiar number, "Uh… hey… Willie? Remember when I'd suggested we shouldn't take carolers in? What if they were freezing?"
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"Thank you, sir." The only woman of the group let out as Merrick passed out coffee and blankets as they stayed in the Roadhouse.
"It's my pleasure, ma'am." He assured kindly.
"We're glad you came when you did… we don't have a home to go to… one of those monsters had destroyed it a while back…" One of the men noted.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Merrick apologized, then came up with an idea, "Would it be wrong if my friends and I helped rebuild it?"
"You'd do that?" A young boy asked.
Merrick smiled lightly and nodded, "Sure… it's no problem… till then, you can stay here."
"You're too kind." The woman reasoned, "We could never ask-"
"It's okay." Merrick cut in, "No charge, no fuss… we'll start tomorrow when the sun's up."
They nodded softly, "Thank you, sir."
"Call me Merrick…"
"Merrick Claus?"
He chuckled and shook his head, "No, just Merrick."
"Thank you, Merrick." They nod.
"It's my pleasure." He assures them.
Alyssa sighed as she tried to think of a present for the next day, Three French Hens.
"Three French Hens… come on… what could work with that?" She mumbled in thought.
"Alyssa?"
She turned to see Cole walking over.
"Hey, Cole." She nodded to him, "What's up?"
"I just heard you talking to yourself… is everything okay?" He frowned.
"What? Uh… yeah." Alyssa assured, "I just… I'm trying to think of a good present that would be like Three French Hens…"
Cole frowned softly in thought, "There's a store selling fake Hen feather Wreaths."
Alyssa looked up a bit, then grinned, "That's perfect! Thanks, Cole!"
He smiled and nodded, "No problem… who are you getting it for anyway?"
"Me….. My other friend." Alyssa covered.
Cole nodded a final time, "Well… alright…"
Once he was out of sight, Alyssa took in a soft breath.
"Alright… so a Hen Feather Wreath with three different colors…" She nodded softly, "That could work…"
Okay, so I didn't really emphasize on the Turtle part of the Turtle Doves, but... I guess you could say I did a little change with the Turtle Cove residents as chilly Carolers.
Tomorrow is Three French Hens... I can't wait to see how that goes...
In the meantime, please review... and please no hate!